Discrimination of liver cirrhosis from chronic hepatitis by analysis of serum cholinesterase isozymes using affinity electrophoresis with concanavalin A or wheat germ agglutinin.
Isozymic alteration of serum cholinesterase (ChE) was investigated in patients with chronic liver diseases using affinity electrophoresis with concanavalin A (Con A) or wheat germ agglutinin (WGA). On Con A-containing agarose gel electrophoresis, three bands with enzyme activity (named bands I to III, from the anodic side to the cathodic) were observed in sera of normal controls. Disappearance of band II was observed in 50% (15/30) of cirrhotic patients, but only one of 20 patients with chronic hepatitis lacked band II of the serum ChE isozymes. Meanwhile, WGA-containing agarose gel electrophoresis revealed that normal controls had four ChE isozymes (named bands I to IV from the anodic side to the cathodic). These four isozymes were also observed in patients with chronic hepatitis. However approximately 67% (20/30) of cirrhotic patients lacked band II of ChE isozymes. When these two affinity electrophoreses were used in combination, 22 (73%) of 30 cirrhotic patients had isozymic alteration of their serum ChE on either Con A-containing or WGA-containing agarose gel electrophoresis, or both. Thus, affinity electrophoreses with Con A and WGA seemed to be useful methods in differentiating liver cirrhosis from chronic hepatitis.
Hada
T
T
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan.
Ohue
T
T
Imanishi
H
H
Nakaoka
H
H
Hirosaki
A
A
Shimomura
S
S
Fujikura
M
M
Matsuda
Y
Y
Yamamoto
T
T
Amuro
Y
Y
D002802:Cholinesterases / Q000097:blood*; D004796:Clinical Enzyme Tests; D003208:Concanavalin A; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000097:blood*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins
D007527:Isoenzymes; D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins; D003208:Concanavalin A; D002802:Cholinesterases